Garlic bulbs for planting
Growing your own garlic is surprisingly simple and the rewards are delicious. Whether you want the fiery punch of a hardneck like 'Red Duke', the milder flavour of giant Elephant Garlic, or the reliable storing qualities of a classic softneck like 'Solent Wight', find the perfect choice right here.
Visit our blog to learn more about how to grow garlic – and to help you on your growing journey, we've answered some of our most frequently asked questions below.
Which garlic variety has the best flavour?
Flavour preference is subjective, but some popular choices for distinct tastes include:
Garlic ‘Flavor’ Spring Planting: As the name suggests, this is selected for a robust garlic taste. Garlic ‘Carcassonne Wight’ Spring Autumn Planting is known for its strong, rich flavour. Elephant Garlic (Spring/ Autumn Planting) produces a milder, more leek-like flavour, and is excellent for roasting.
What's the difference between hardneck and softneck garlic?
Hardneck varieties produce a central woody flower stalk (scape) and often have fewer, larger cloves with more complex flavours. Hardnecks are often planted in autumn like some of the "Wight" named varieties. Softneck varieties (like spring-planted types such as Garlic ‘Cledor’ (Spring Planting) tend to produce more cloves, store longer, and have a softer neck suitable for braiding.
Which is the best garlic for beginners?
Many garlic varieties are straightforward to grow. From our range, we recommend softnecks like Garlic ‘Messidrome’ (Autumn Planting) and Garlic ‘Cledor’ (Spring Planting) for their reliability. Garlic ‘Solent Wight’ (Spring/ Autumn Planting) is a popular and dependable choice. For a mix, our Bumper Onion, Garlic & Shallot Collection or Garlic Trio Collection offer a good introduction to different types.
Which variety of garlic produces the biggest bulbs?
Elephant Garlic (Spring/ Autumn Planting) produces exceptionally large bulbs with a milder flavour than traditional garlic. Many autumn-planted hardnecks such as ‘Kingsland Wight’ also tend to produce good-sized bulbs.
